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Ebikes?


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So who's got one? I didn't get what the hype was all about until I had the opportunity to ride a 2kW Kona Stinky this year. It absolutely blew my mind. In it's unlocked and not too legal form it had a top speed of almost 60kph without having to even touch the pedals. The running costs are apparently around 40p/100km. There's something really exciting about a bike with a throttle which is completely silent. You apply it and it just sort of goes. And then goes some more, with no effort on your behalf. 

Slowly getting fed up with traffic over here so I've been looking into building a custom ebike for the spring. There's a place nearby which sells decent conversion kits and makes custom batteries. The co-founder is an ex trials rider so we quickly found common ground. We've come up with an idea of a heavily geared single speed hardtail on MT7's, a 1kW hub motor and 24Ah battery pack. This would give it an unassisted cruising range of around 100km or around 30 at it's top speed, enough to commute even long distances without wasting too much time. Perhaps this will turn into a build thread sooner or later. Wondering whether there are people on this forum who are into this sort of thing?

 

 

 

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I had a go on one a few summers ago and was very impressed; could see the appeal of getting girlfriends or children out on big rides or on epics that would be out of their normal range of fitness/power. wouldn't buy one myself yet. I'd definitely consider one when the electrics could be swapped about between an mtb or a roady. quite excited for decent electric roadies for commuting and such.

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Local chap bought a pair of eBikes for himself and the wife as a means for getting to and from the nearest pub (~3 miles from their home). In theory, this is a resonable enough idea, but he bought a pair of 1250W bikes from AliExpress and they're both tiny with no real strength/coordination so neither of them are remotely in control. Dark nights with no lights through country lanes whilst pissed might not be the best idea :lol:

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I find it very fun on the way home from work to come across someone who has bought one using the cycle to work scheme on the premis of 'getting fit', cruise up to the back of said lazy f**ker who is freewheeling on flat ground when they should be pedalling/remotely putting some effort in, sit there 'til I decide "you're in my bloody way you slow arse fat b*****d", click back a cassette cog or two, go round them at my lesiure and fck off into distance with barely a change in heartrate. You can do the same with restricted mopeds too. :D

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  • 4 weeks later...

For £220, you can get this around April 2018. It had already achieved it's crowd-funded target in less than 24hrs of going live with still another 3 weeks remaining. This is clearly a game-changer for those of us who would love to convert our existing bikes without shelling hundreds. And it's a British product with a HQ based in Hackney.

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/swytch-system-claims-it-can-convert-any-existing-bike-to-an-ebike-for-225-358866

Edited by Rusevelt
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  • 4 weeks later...
On 11/12/2017 at 11:59 PM, Greetings said:

So who's got one? I didn't get what the hype was all about until I had the opportunity to ride a 2kW Kona Stinky this year. It absolutely blew my mind. In it's unlocked and not too legal form it had a top speed of almost 60kph without having to even touch the pedals. The running costs are apparently around 40p/100km. There's something really exciting about a bike with a throttle which is completely silent. You apply it and it just sort of goes. And then goes some more, with no effort on your behalf. 

Slowly getting fed up with traffic over here so I've been looking into building a custom ebike for the spring. There's a place nearby which sells decent conversion kits and makes custom batteries. The co-founder is an ex trials rider so we quickly found common ground. We've come up with an idea of a heavily geared single speed hardtail on MT7's, a 1kW hub motor and 24Ah battery pack. This would give it an unassisted cruising range of around 100km or around 30 at it's top speed, enough to commute even long distances without wasting too much time. Perhaps this will turn into a build thread sooner or later. Wondering whether there are people on this forum who are into this sort of thing?

 

 

 

I must have this confused with something else, but arnt E bikes only powered once pressure is applied to the pedals and don't as such have a throttle?

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On 11/12/2017 at 11:59 PM, Greetings said:

So who's got one? I didn't get what the hype was all about until I had the opportunity to ride a 2kW Kona Stinky this year. It absolutely blew my mind. In it's unlocked and not too legal form it had a top speed of almost 60kph without having to even touch the pedals. The running costs are apparently around 40p/100km. There's something really exciting about a bike with a throttle which is completely silent. You apply it and it just sort of goes. And then goes some more, with no effort on your behalf. 

Slowly getting fed up with traffic over here so I've been looking into building a custom ebike for the spring. There's a place nearby which sells decent conversion kits and makes custom batteries. The co-founder is an ex trials rider so we quickly found common ground. We've come up with an idea of a heavily geared single speed hardtail on MT7's, a 1kW hub motor and 24Ah battery pack. This would give it an unassisted cruising range of around 100km or around 30 at it's top speed, enough to commute even long distances without wasting too much time. Perhaps this will turn into a build thread sooner or later. Wondering whether there are people on this forum who are into this sort of thing?

 

 

 

I must have this confused with something else, but arnt E bikes only powered once pressure is applied to the pedals and don't as such have a throttle?

 

Edit: also sam pigrim on Haibike this year.

whaaa

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18 hours ago, Davetrials said:

I must have this confused with something else, but arnt E bikes only powered once pressure is applied to the pedals and don't as such have a throttle?

Probably depends on the ebike. The few I've had the opportunity of using all had a throttle although I heard somewhere that this is not 100% legal, at least my end. 

Anyhow, probably going to begin the build around march. It's been suggested I use 29" wheels since they roll better and may result in a higher top speed, not quite sold on the idea. Had a bike like that and it felt really clumsy. 

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29ers seem to be such a big thing now. I have an old school rigid mtb and a full sus 27.5 (Although not E bike) but although i'm a giant i've never been a fan or ever wanted to go 29er. Much more maneuverability on 27.5 and 26 is just still genuinely fun. Not tried a 29er ebike though which i'm sure would dominate on hill climbs but tried a few 27.5s and they're ridiculously fun just not quite been tempted to go down the e bike route myself.  

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10 hours ago, Greetings said:

Probably depends on the ebike. The few I've had the opportunity of using all had a throttle although I heard somewhere that this is not 100% legal, at least my end. 

Anyhow, probably going to begin the build around march. It's been suggested I use 29" wheels since they roll better and may result in a higher top speed, not quite sold on the idea. Had a bike like that and it felt really clumsy. 

i think we ave our wires crossed, im on about these things 

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/specializeds-new-long-travel-emtb-the-turbo-kenevo-fsr-first-ride.html

 

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14 hours ago, Davetrials said:

Yeah that would be the "proper" thing in terms of balance and whatnot. But because it's mainstream, it has certain let's call them limitations - power, battery pack, top speed and said throttle.

My initial post was about a custom build where you use a motor, control unit and battery of your choice to suit whatever you need. As in the video below. Images in the video should give you an idea of what this is about. This is actually the bike which made me want an ebike so much. It's absolutely amazing. 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Dude in blue is Pat Smage - you should check out some of his clips on Facebook/Instagram.  He rides 'normal' bikes too, as well as fat bikes, and is super good on all of them.  Seeing him on a mototrials bike is really cool.

Part of the impressive thing of that ebike video is them riding in trials boots.  That must feel awful!

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